Elevator door lock and control



March 8, 1966 G. G. ANDERSON ET 3,239,030

ELEVATOR DOOR LOCK AND CONTROL Filed Oct. 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 i j 2 00 P- 6 8 7 Gordon fi rjon 2 Clifford Je$ James uj fi United States Patent 3,239,030 ELEVATOR DOOR LOCK AND CONTROL Gordon G. Anderson, Glenview, Clifford E. Ives, Wilmette, James M. Jecmen, Jr., Brookfield, John J. Jecmen, Riverside, and James W. Smith, Hinsdale, Ill.,

assignors to Harris Preble Fire Doors, Inc., Cicero, 11].,

a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 318,022 9 Claims. (Cl. 187-31) The present invention relates to an elevator door lock and control which is adapted for use on an elevator system utilizing either stationary or retiring cams and more particularly to a combination mechanical lock and electric contact for use with a rigid or fixed cam or an electromechanical interlock for use with a retiring cam.

Mechanical locks and electrical interlocks of various types have been employed for freight elevator doors in the past several years, but many of these structures are complicated in operation, prone to mechanical difiiculties and disability and to fouling by dirt or other foreign matter, and are easily tampered with to avoid or circumvent the safety features of the device whereby to operate the elevator under hazardous conditions.

The present invention involves the use of a simple dual contact control mechanism and lock which is designed so that all component parts are symmetrical, prior to subassemblies, upon a center line so that the structure may be easily adapted as a right-hand or a left-hand unit. The locking portion of the assembly locks both sections of a vertical bi-parting counterbalanced door or locks a one-piece counterbalanced slide-up door or a one-piece counterbalanced slide-down door. Further, the switch control mechanism is designed to be tamper-proof so that it cannot be manipulated by hand or plugged to complete the circuit when the elevator door is open.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of an elevator door lock and control mechanism which is adaptable for use in an elevator system utilizing either rigid or retiring actuating cams for actuation of a locking assembly for the elevator door or doors. The locking member is directly actuated by an arm having a cam roller on its free end which is engaged and actuated by the cam. Thus, with a rigid cam arrangement, the present invention provides a mechanical interlock and electric contact, While with a retiring cam, the assembly becomes an electro-mechanical interlock.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an elevator door lock and control which is mounted within the elevator shaft and is tamper-proof. When the door or doors are opened at a landing, the electrical circuit for the motor controlling movement of the elevator car is interrupted and cannot be completed without the doors being moved to their closed position. When the door or doors served by the control assembly have moved even an inch from the closed position, the circuit is opened and cannot be plugged or manipulated by hand to make or complete the circuit; thus efiectively preventing operation of the elevator car with an open door.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an electrical contact mechanism positively actuated by a contact control arm which is twisted in one direction by opening movement of the elevator doors or door to open the contact in the elevator running system and twisted in the opposite direction by closing movement of the doors or door to close the contact and thus allow energization of the elevator motor controlling movement of the car. A sliding member secured to an elevator door causes the contact arm to twist by move- 3,239,030 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 ment of the member relative to a twist bar which is operatively connected to the contact control arm.

The present invention also comprehends the provision of a cam operated interlock having contacts actuated by a cam operated interlock locking arm which in turn is actuated by a retiring cam. When the elevator reaches the desired floor, the retiring cam is actuated and contacts the roller on the roller arm which unlocks the elevator doors by retracting the door locking member. Retraction of the door locking member actuates the locking arm contact to open the contact and interrupt the running circuit for the elevator. Then the door or doors are opened to break the contacts actuated by the contact control arm. Using this interlock system, the door or doors must be closed and locked before the running circuit for the elevator can be made-up.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of an electrical contact system having one or more auxiliary contacts which are closed when the door contact and the locking arm contact are open. Thus, when the door or doors open and the contact arm opens the door contact, an auxiliary contact is simultaneously closed and may be used for a door open signal such as a bell or other auxiliary function. Likewise, an auxiliary contact is closed when the locking arm opens its contact so as to service a door-open light or other auxiliary function required when the door is opened. In both instances, the auxiliary contact will open slightly before its associated contact is closed.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a tamper-proof feature which is an integral part of the lock design. Normally, in the industry, tamperproof devices are auxiliary devices that may or may not be used in conjunction with an elevator mechanical lock and contact or electro-mechanical interlock. However, the present lock is'so designed that this tamper-proof feature cannot be removed from the assembly.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an elevator car having a less complicated control panel which provides for a simpler trouble-free arrangement and simplifies the wiring. The control panel is simplified due to the use of the auxiliary contacts which automatically provide circuits previously required in the control panel wiring.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partial view of a pair of counterbalanced elevator doors from the shaft side and showing the mounting of the elevator door lock and control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the elevator lock and control mechanism with the cover for the assembly removed and the cam roller omitted.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the elevator door lock andcontrol mechanism with the side wall broken away to show the switch contacts and contact arms in their normal positions when the elevator is running.

FIG. 4 is a partial horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the twist rod actuating mechanism controlling the door lock contact.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the control casing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 discloses a vertical by-parting counterbalanced door for a freight elevator having an upper panel 11 and a lower panel 12 with an astrogal 13 interposed therebetween. A chain 14 is connected between a point adjacent the lower edge of the panel 11 and a connector 14 at a point adjacent the upper edge of the panel 12 and runs over a suitable sheave (not shown) as is well known in the industry to provide simultaneous movement of both panels 11 and 12 when the door is either opened or closed. Although a bi-parting door assembly is illustrated, the present invention is equally adaptable to a one-piece counterbalanced slide-up door or a one-piece counterbalanced slide-down door.

Secured to the guide rail 15 for the doors in the elevator shaft 16 is the elevator door lock and control assembly 17 having a generally rectangular casing 18 with opposed ends 19 having outwardly extending mounting flanges 20. Elongated openings 21 in the flanges provide for an adjustable mounting with suitable securing means. A cover 22 is mounted to close the open face of the casing 18 and is fastened by suitable securing means.

A pivot pin or rod 23 (FIGS. 2 and 3) extends across the casing 18 and extends through openings in the side walls 24 of the casing and is secured therein by split locking rings 25 engaging annular grooves in the ends of the rod 23. A door locking member 26 may be secured to either end of the rod extending through the walls 24 so that pivotal movement of the member 26 also causes rotation of the rod or pin 23. The member 26 comprises a generally elongated arm 27 which is secured adjacent one end 28 to the rod 23 and has a cut-out stop portion 29 cooperating with a pin or rivet 31 to limit rotation of the arm away from the casing 18. Also suitable springbiasing means are utilized to yieldably urge the door locking member to its locked position.

The opposite end of the arm is provided with a camming surface 32 and adjacent the camming surface is a pair of parallel shoulders 33 and 34; the shoulder 34 being located inwardly and downwardly from the shoulder 33. Another shoulder 35 is disposed parallel to and spaced from the shoulder 34 as seen in FIG. 2. Intermediate the shoulders 34 and 35 is a laterally extending projection 36 having a rounded end 37 extending beyond the shoulders 33, 34 and 35. A roller arm 38 is secured at one end 39 to the end 37 of the arm 36 by a nut 41 and bolt 42 or other suitable mounting means. The opposite end 43 of the arm 38 carries a roller 44 rotatably mounted on a pin or stub shaft 44 This roller is actuated by engagement with a camming means 45 on the elevator car to actuate the door locking member 26. An elongated slot 46 extends longitudinally to and within projection 36 on the arm 27 and coacts with a pin or rivet 47 received within the slot to guide and limit movement of the door locking member 26.

The inclined camming surface 32 and the shoulders 33, 34 and 35 cooperate with laterally extending lock or keeper bars 48 and 49 mounted adjacent the abutting edges of the upper and lower panels 11 and 12, respectively. The shoulders 34 and 35 normally engage the bars 48 and 49, respectively, when the door 10 is closed and the elevator is in motion. The shoulder 33 is utilized to prevent accidental opening of the door while the car is in motion.

A pivot rod 51 spaced from the pivot rod 23 is pivotally mounted with one end extending through a flange 52 of a bracket 53 secured within the casing 18 and the opposite end is mounted in a U-shaped portion 54 of a spaced flange on the bracket 53. Secured to the underside of the rod 51 is a plate 55 having a pair of oppositely extending insulator blocks 56 and 57 suitably secured thereto. On the free end of each insulator block is mounted a conductive contact arm 58 and 59, respectively. Each contact arm has a tab 61 extending through the block 56 or 57, and a pin 62 secured at one end to the block extends through the contact 58 or 59 and terminates in a flange or washer 63. A compression spring 64 is mounted on each pin 62 between the flange 63 and the contact to yieldably bias the contact downward against the block. The free end of each contact arm is divided or bifurcated into a pair of projections 65, each having a contact button 66 adapted to engage a contact 67 mounted on an insulator block 68 for the door position contact 71 and the block 72 for an auxiliary contact 73.

Each contact 67 has an associated terminal screw 69 for connection to the wiring of the elevator circuit. A twist rod 74 (FIGS. 2 and 5) extends longitudinally into the casing 18 through the upper end 19 adjacent the pivot rod 51 and has a reduced end 75 which is rotatably mounted in the U-shaped portion 54 of the bracket 53 as seen in FIG. 5. The opposite end 76 of increased diameter is rotatably mounted in a bushing 77 in the upper end 19. The end 76 is slotted as at 78 to receive a twist bar 79 which is flat and slightly twisted between its ends. The one end of the bar is conformably received in the slot 78 and may be secured with a set screw and the opposite end of the bar 79 is secured to a rotatably mounted rod 81 which is mounted in a bracket 82 secured to the guide rail 15.

A plate 83 (FIG. 5) is securely mounted on the twist rod 74 adjacent its reduced lower end and depending from the free end of the plate 83 is a ball 84 having an actuating rod 85 mounted therein and extending diametrically through the pivot rod 51. Thus twisting or rotational movement of the twist rod 74 will cause rotation of the pivot rod 51 through the plate 83, ball 84 and actuating rod 85. A twist bar driver 86 includes a mounting plate 87 adapted to be secured to the upper panel 11 and having a laterally extending flange 88 having a central slot therein, the slot receiving the twist bar 79. An activator member 89 is secured to the door panel 11 and at its outer end to the driver 86.

For a fixed cam 45 on the elevator, the contacts 71 and 73 are sufiicient to provide a mechanical lock and electrical contact with the door contact 71 connected into the circuit for running the elevator and the auxiliary contact 73 is connected with a circuit which may be used for a door open signal such as a bell or light.

As the elevator reaches the desired floor, the cam 45 engages and retracts the roller 44 to retract the door locking member 26 and permit opening of the door 10. As the upper and lower panels 11 and 12 are separated, the twist bar driver 86 moves relative to the twist bar 79 causing limited rotation thereof, and which in turn causes rotation of the twist rod 74 to operate the actuating rod 85 so as to pivot the rod 51 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 2. Pivotal movement of rod 51 causes the contact arm 58 to move away from the contacts 67 and open the door contact 71 and interrupt the elevator running circuit. The contact arm 59 closes the auxiliary contact 73 to actuate the door open signal or the like.

The contacts 71 and 73 cannot be manually manipulated while the door is open to close the elevator running circuit, and, therefore, the contacts are tamperproof when the elevator is located at a floor with the door open. When the panels 11 and 12 are returned to closed position, the twist bar, twist rod and pivot rod 51 are rotated in the opposite direction and the auxiliary contact 73 is opened slightly before the door contact 71 is closed. When the contact 71 is closed, the running circuit is completed and the elevator can move away from the floor, and the cam 45 moves away from the roller 44 to allow the door locking member to advance so that the shoulders 34 and 35 again engage the keeper bars 48 and 49, respectively, on the door panels to prevent unauthorized opening of the door 10.

If a retiring cam is utilized for the elevator, this assembly 15 is utilized as an electro-mechanical interlock for the door 10. For the interlock, a depending member 90 (FIG. 3) is mounted on the pivot rod 23 and has a plate 55 mounted thereon. Insulator blocks 56 and 57- are mounted on the plate and carry conductive contact arms 58 and 59 (FIG. 2). These contacts open and close the locking arm contact 91 and a second auxiliary contact 92. The contact structure is identical to that described for the contacts 71 and 73 and like reference numerals having the superscript a are used thereon. A compression spring 93 is mounted in the casing and engages one end of the plate 55 to yieldably bias the pivot rod 23 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. '2 so as to urge the door locking member to its locked position.

These two contacts 91 and 92 are only used for the electro-mechanical interlock system where a retiring cam is advanced when the elevator is stopped at a floor to engage the roller 44 and retract the door locking member to its unlocked position. The locking arm contact 91 is positioned in the running circuit for the elevator so as to interrupt the circuit when the door 10 is unlocked even though it is not opened. The second auxiliary contact 92 closes when the contact 91 is opened and may be used for a car arrival signal.

In operation, when the elevator car arrives at a desired floor, the retiring cam is actuated by the operator to move to its advanced position engaging the cam roller 44 to retract the door locking member 26 and free the keeper bars 48, 49 from the shoulders 34, 35. As the member 26 is retracted, the pivot rod 23 rotates therewith in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 2, to open the locking arm contact 91 to interrupt the car running circuit and close auxiliary contact 92 actuating the car arrival signal or similar mechanism. Then the door is opened opening door contact 71 and closing auxiliary contact 73 as above described. Contact 71 is in the elevator running circuit with the contact 91 in the interlock system to provide a pair of contacts which open in the running circuit for the elevator car when positioned at a landing with the door open.

When the doors are closed, the contact 73 opens slightly before the door contact 71 is closed. Then the retiring cam is actuated to retract the cam and the spring 93 urges the plate 55 pivot rod 23 and door locking member 26 in a clockwise direction so that the auxiliary contact 92 is opened slightly before the door locking arm contact 91 is closed. When the contact 91 is closed, the elevator car may be set in motion. Thus, the door must be closed and locked before the car is set in motion.

Although the auxiliary contacts 73 .and 92 have been shown and described, they are not necessary to the basic control system for the elevator. However, the inclusion of the auxiliary contacts in either the mechanical lock and contact system or the electro-mechanical interlock system make the control panel for the elevator they are serving less complicated; make for a much simpler trouble-free arrangement, and simplify wiring and trouble shooting and call-backs.

The devices described above, together with their auxiliary contacts, by nature of the products they serve, must be handed, that is right or left-hand. The device shown in the drawings illustrates a right-hand lock. These locks are so designed that all component parts, prior to any subassemblies, are symmetrical upon a center line and, consequently, serve either a right or left-hand unit.

Having thus disclosed the invention, we claim:

1. An elevator lock and control assembly for a counterbalanced elevator door comprising a casing mounted within an elevator shaft, a door locking member mounted on said casing for limited pivotal movement, means on an elevator car actuating said door locking member to its unlocked position, a door contact in said casing, a contact arm pivotally mounted in said casing, a twist bar rotatably mounted in said casing and operatively connected to said contact arm and upon rotation said twist arm pivots said contact arm to move the contact between open and closed positions, and a twist bar driver connected to the elevator door and adapted to reciprocate relative to said twist bar 6 as the door is opened or closed, movement of said driver causing rotation of said twist bar to open or close the door contact.

2. An elevator door lock and control assembly for the running circuit of an elevator car in an elevator shaft, comprising a counterbalanced elevator door at a landing and having a keeper bar, a control casing mounted in the elevator shaft, a door locking member mounted on said casing for limited pivotal movement and norm-ally cooperating with said keeper bar to retain the door in closed position, means on the elevator car cooperating with said door locking member to urge said member to retracted position, a door contact in said casing, a contact arm mounted for pivotal movement in said casing, a twist bar mounted for rotation in said casing and operatively connected to said contact arm so that rotation of said twist bar effects pivotal movement of said contact arm, and a twist bar driver connected to said elevator door and operatively connected to said twist bar, said driver adapted to reciprocate relative to said twist bar so that opening movement of said door causes rotation of the twist bar to pivot said contact arm to open position and interrupt the elevator running circuit.

3. An elevator lock and control assembly as set forth in claim 2, including an auxiliary contact in said casing and a. contact arm mounted for pivotal movement with said contact arm for said door contact so that said auxiliary contact opens when said door contact closes and closes when said door contact opens.

4. An elevator door lock and control assembly as set forth in claim 2, in which said means cooperating with the door locking member comprises a fixed cam on said elevator car.

5. An elevator door lock and control assembly as set forth in claim 2, including a locking arm contact mounted in said casing, a contact arm pivotally mounted in said casing to rotate when said door locking member rotates so that unlocking movement of said door locking member opens said locking arm contact, said last mentioned contact being included in said elevator running circuit so as to provide an electro-mechanical interlock for the elevator.

6. An elevator door lock and control assembly as set forth in claim 5, in which said means cooperating with the door locking member is a retiring cam.

'7. An elevator door lock and control assembly as set forth in claim 5, including an auxiliary contact associated with the locking arm contact, a contact arm for said last mentioned auxiliary contact pivotally mounted in said casing with the contact arm for said locking arm contact so that said auxiliary contact opens when said locking arm contact closes and closes when said locking arm contact opens.

8. An elevator door lock and control assembly for the running circuit of an elevator car in its elevator shaft, comprising a counterbalanced elevator door at a landing and having at least one keeper bar, a casing mounted within the elevator shaft, a door locking member mounted for limited pivotal movement on said casing and having at least one locking shoulder cooperating with said keeper bar to normally retain said door closed, a cam arm and cam roller secured to said door locking member, a retiring cam on the elevator car cooperating with the cam roller to oscillate said door locking member between locked and unlocked positions, a locking arm contact in said casing, a contact arm pivotally mounted in said casing and operatively connected to said door locking member so that as the door locking member is retracted to unlocked position the contact arm is pivoted to open said locking arm contact, a door position cont-act in said casing and spaced from said locking arm contact, a contact arm pivotally mounted in said casing for said door position contact, a twist rod operatively connected to said last mentioned contact arm and rotatably mounted in said casing, a twist bar rotatably mounted in the elevator shaft and connected to said twist rod, a twist bar driver connected to the elevator door and operatively connected to and reciprocable relative to said twist bar so that opening movement of the door causes rotation of the twist bar and twist rod which in turn pivots the contact arm associated with the door position contact to open said contact, said door position contact and locking arm contact being inserted in the running circuit for the elevator.

9. An elevator door lock and control assembly as set forth in claim 8, including an auxiliary contact associated with the door position contact and the locking arm contact, a contact arm for each auxiliary contact operatively connected for pivotal movement to the contact arm for its.

associated door position contact and locking arm contact UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,233,853 3/1941 Schweig l8731 2,240,820 5/1941 Wilmot 18731 2,408,054 9/1946 Penn 18731 2,808,901 10/1957 Chadwick 187-31 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Examiner. 

1. AN ELEVATOR LOCK AND CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR A COUNTERBALANCED ELEVATOR DOOR COMPRISING A CASING MOUNTED WITHIN AN ELEVATOR SHAFT, A DOOR LOCKING MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID CASING FOR LIMITED PIVOTAL MOVEMENT, MEANS ON AN ELEVATOR CAR ACTUATING SAID DOOR LOCKING MEMBER TO ITS UNLOCKED POSITION, A DOOR CONTACT IN SAID CASING, A CONTACT ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING, A TWIST BAR ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CONTACT ARM AND UPON ROTATION SAID TWIST ARM PIVOTS SAID CONTACT ARM TO MOVE THE CONTACT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, AND A TWIST BAR DRIVER CONNECTED TO THE ELEVATOR DOOR AND ADAPTED TO RECIPROCATE RELATIVE TO SAID TWIST BAR 